15-Minute Strength Workout (Full Body Strength Training, Dumbbells)

Short on time but want to work your whole body? Try this 15-Minute Full Body STRENGTH WORKOUT with dumbbells! Upper body strength, lower body strength and core strength — all in just 15 minutes at home.

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Jump to Full Body Strength Workout Outline

The ultimate quick and effective full body strength workout with dumbbells.

Use it as a stand-alone full body strength training workout when you’re short on time. Or add it on to a run or bike ride.

What are the benefits of a full body strength workout?

• Build strength and lean muscle mass (which helps burn fat; enter next bullet point).
• Burn calories for hours after exercise, boost metabolism and make weight loss easier.
• Increase bone density and avoid injury.

15-Minute Full Body Strength Workout with Dumbbells

Build muscle and total body strength in 15 minutes with these 9 compound exercises.

This is my favorite 15-minute full body strength workout to add to my weekly training plan one-to-two times a week. Also a quick, total body strength workout you can add to short or long runs.

Because these 9 full body exercises activate larger muscle groups (arm and leg muscles working at the same time), I suggest lifting heavy.

The last 2-3 reps of each exercise should be challenging to the point of failure.

Workout Equipment:

A medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells.

I recommend 8-20 lbs depending on your fitness level. We are using 12-15 lbs in this workout video.

Workout Instructions:

Click here to follow along with the Full Body Strength Workout At Home Video at the top of this post.

I’ll coach you through this full body strength workout, keeping track of the timed intervals, providing form cues and modifications.

Alternatively, work through the 9 compound strength exercises below at your own pace.

Your Workout Looks Like This:

• 4 circuits, 2 full body exercises per circuit.
• Perform the first strength training exercises for 40 seconds, followed immediately by a 20 second burnout for exercise two. Then rest for 20 seconds.
• Repeat each circuit x2 sets.

Full Body Strength Workout with Dumbbells

CIRCUIT ONE: Squats (Legs + Glutes + Quads) + Upper Body PUSH Muscles (Chest + Shoulders + Triceps)

1. 40-Second Strength Exercise: Goblet Squat + 45-Degree Press Out
2. 20-Second Burnout Exercise: Hold 45-Degree Dumbbell Press Out

Repeat x2 Sets.

CIRCUIT TWO: Lunges (Legs + Glutes + Quads + Inner and Outer Thighs) + Biceps

1. 40-Second Strength Exercise: Lateral Lunge, Reverse Lunge + Bicep Curl (Right/Left)
2. 20-Second Burnout Exercise: Isometric Lunge Hold + Hammer Curl (Right/Left)

Repeat x2 Sets.

CIRCUIT THREE: Wide Squats (Legs + Glutes + Inner Thighs) + Chest + Core

1. 40-Second Strength Exercise: 2 Wide Squats + 1 Push Up
2. 20-Second Burnout Exercise: Push Ups

Repeat x2 Sets.

CIRCUIT FOUR: Deadlifts (Legs + Glutes + Hamstrings) + Back

1. 40-Second Strength Exercise: Deadlift + Back Row
2. 20-Second Burnout Exercise: Plank and Rows (2 per arm) Or Standing Bent Over Rows

Repeat x2 Sets.

BONUS BURNOUT ROUND

1. 40 Second Burnout: Low Plank Wide Knee Pulls

9 Full Body Strength Training Exercises

1. Goblet Squat + 45-Degree Press Out

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, chest, shoulders, triceps and core.

How to do a Goblet Squat + 45-Degree Press Out:

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, knees bent. Hold a dumbbell vertically at your chest with hands stacked on top of each other.
2. Sit your hips back as you lower into a squat, aiming to get your thighs parallel to the ground. With a 90 degree bend in your knees. Dumbbell at your chest and elbows inside your knees.
3. Press through your heels to stand tall. As you stand, press the dumbbell out at a 45 degree angle. Arms straight.
4. With control, return the dumbbell to your chest to return to the starting position.

2. 45-Degree Dumbbell Press Out

Targets: Arms, upper body push muscles (chest, shoulders and triceps) and core strength.

How to do a 45-Degree Dumbbell Press Out:

1. Start standing, feet hip width apart, knees bent softly. Holding one dumbbell vertically at your chest with hands stacked on top of each other.
2. Exhale as you press the dumbbell out away from your body at a 45 degree angle. Arms fully extended.
3. With control, return the dumbbell to your chest to return to the starting position.

3. Lateral Lunge, Reverse Lunge + Bicep Curl

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, inner thighs, outer glutes, core, arms and biceps.

How to do a Lateral Lunge, Reverse Lunge and Bicep Curl:

1. Start standing, feet hip width apart, knees bent. Hold one dumbbell in each hand at your sides (palms facing in towards your hips).
2. Step your left leg out to the side as you push your hips back, bending your left knee while leaving your right leg straight. Think of performing a single leg squat with your left leg while your right leg remains straight. Dumbbells frame left foot with knees and toes pointing forward.
3. Then, drive off your left foot to reverse the movement, pushing back to center.
4. Once standing, step your left leg back into a reverse lunge, dropping your left knee down towards the ground as you lower your hips until both knees reach a 90 degree angle, front thigh parallel to the floor. As you drop your left leg back, curl dumbbells up to shoulder height (bicep curl).
5. Then squeeze your right leg glute, driving your back, left leg forward as you stand up, returning to starting position. Reverse your dumbbell curl, returning the dumbbells back to the starting position.

4. Isometric Lunge Hold + Hammer Curl

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, calves, core, arms and biceps.

How to do an Isometric Lunge Hold + Hammer Curl:

1. Hold a reverse lunge: step your left leg back, dropping your left knee down towards the ground as you lower your hips until both knees reach a 90 degree angle, front thigh parallel to the floor.
2. Hold this position, hovering your back left knee off the ground.
3. With one dumbbell in each at hand at your sides, palms facing in towards each other (hammer grip).
4. Curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, then with control, lower back to the starting position. Repeat the hammer curl movement as you hold the lunge position.

Modification: Omit the isometric lunge hold and perform standing hammer curls.

5. 2 Wide Squats + 1 Push Up

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, inner thighs, outer glutes, arms, chest, shoulders, triceps and core.

How to do 2 Sumo Squats + 1 Push Up:

1. Start in a high plank position, hands on dumbbells, core engaged. Creating a straight line from head to tailbone and heels.
2. Lower your chest towards the ground, performing a push up on dumbbells. Elbows fall back towards your hips.
3. Exhale as you press back up to high plank.
4. Then step or jump your feet outside of your hands, landing in a low wide squat position (or sumo squat stance).
5. Drive through your heels to stand tall, holding one dumbbell in each hand between your legs. Perform two wide stance sumo squats.
6. On the second squat, lower the dumbbells all the way down to the mat; then step or jump your feet back to high plank position.
7. Repeat this two wide squats to one push up sequence.

Modification: Drop to your knees for the push up as needed. Also, option to drop the weights and perform as a body weight exercise.

6. Push Ups

Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps and core.

How to do Push Ups:

1. Start in a high plank position, option to have hands on dumbbells the mat. Core engaged, creating a straight line from head to tailbone and heels.
2. Lower your chest towards the ground, performing a push up. Elbows fall back towards your hips.
3. Exhale as you press back up to high plank. Repeat.

Modification: Drop to your knees for the push up as needed. Or add an incline, placing your hands/dumbbells, on a bench or chair to bring the ground closer to you.

7. Deadlift + Back Row

Targets: Legs, glutes, hamstrings, hips, core, arms and back muscles.

How to do a Deadlift + Back Row:

1. Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart, soft bend in knees. Holding one dumbbell in each hand (palms facing in).
2. Roll your shoulders down and back to engage your lats (back muscles).
3. Hinge your hips back towards the wall behind you as you lower the dumbbells along the front of your legs. Keeping the dumbbells close to your body (thighs and shins). This is a deadlift.
4. Hold at the bottom of your deadlift, with a flat back and neutral spine.
5. Then squeeze your shoulder blades together to pull the dumbbells up towards your rib cage. This is a back row.
6. Lower the dumbbells with control.
7. Drive through your heels to return to the starting position (standing with the dumbbells at your sides).

8. Plank and Row (or Standing Bent Over Back Row)

Targets: Arms, back, shoulders and core.

How to do a Plank and Row:

1. Start in high plank position with one hand on each dumbbell (shoulders stacked over hands on dumbbells).
2. Hold this position, maintaining a straight line with your body, gaze slightly in front of you.
3. From this plank position, engage your core as you pull your right elbow back towards your hip, then lower with control back to the mat.
4. Then repeat this row movement on the left side of the body.

Modification: Drop to your knees, performing the rows from your knees. Or take the rows from a standing, bent over row position.

9. Low Plank Wide Knee Pulls

Targets: Abs, core, obliques, and shoulders.

How to do Low Plank Knee Pulls:

1. Start in a low plank position, forearms on the mat with shoulders stacked over elbows. Think about forming one long line from your head through your heels, engaging your core to make sure your hips don’t pike up or drop down.
2. Pull your right knee to your right elbow or tricep, then return to low plank position.
3. Then pull your left knee to your left elbow or tricep, then return to low plank position.
4. Repeat these alternating knee pulls.

Modification: Hold low plank from the knees or toes. Or add an incline, placing your hands or forearms, on a bench or chair to bring the ground closer to you.

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